The role of sugars in the prolongation of the vase life of cut flowers was reviewed. Beneficial effect of sugars on the supply of substrates for respiration and, therefore, on longer life of cut flowers is generally recognized. This widely accepted role of sugars as providers of additional substrates for respiration has perhaps largely over-shadowed other important roles. In this review, attempts were made to study the role of sugars in the prolongation of the vase life of cut flowers in general, and in the delay in ethylene biosynthesis or decrease in sensitivity to ethylene in particular.